Human Resources

The ability to surf the Internet and handle day-in, day-out tasks associated with the human resources function is getting hotter and hotter. Now, Hewitt Associates has tapped into the power of the Web to provide defined contribution services for more than 4.3 million employees and clients by partnering with Business Logic.Business Logic created 'AccountLink,' a system that enables anyone with investments administered by Hewitt to obtain investment balances on a 24/7 basis.

Dow has announced plans to fire 40 employees for sending inappropriate e-mail messages in the workplace. Offensive messages range from off-color jokes to nude pictures to violently explicit material.Union officials claim Dow's search of 6,000 e-mail accounts in response to one complaint about offensive e-mail is nothing more than a "witch hunt" and an opportunity to fire people.Last month, Dow fired 50 employees and disciplined 200 for e-mail violations.

Most companies like the idea of casual Friday. If you’re an employer you can help boost morale by offering your staff the opportunity to dress down one day of the week. In fact, more and more companies are offering the opportunity to dress casual for the entire week. However, this can leave people confused as to what is appropriate dress and what isn’t. A particularly difficult challenge in discerning what’s appropriate casual wear and what’s not resides among women, especially those making the switch from college to the corporate world.

Just when dotcoms seemed to break out of the mold and offer compensation models truly above and beyond the traditional bricks & mortar environment, high-tech companies have taken a step backwards.Gone are the days of stock options. Since tech stocks have fallen somewhat out of favor since last Spring, dotcoms have returned to cash incentives rather than the promise of a soon-to-be IPO in the future.This and other conclusions were made by a recent study commissioned through PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Resume writing is an art, no doubt. While today's word processing programs have templates that help you write your resume, there are a few aspects that are standard regardless of what job you're applying for - then there are aras of the resume that are indicative to accounting-related positions.Accountants on Call President Diane O'Meally pares the advice down to common sense.

The results are in from the 200 Annual Survey of Accounting Professors which rates U.S. accounting firms, and the accountants are cheering at PwC. After 18 years of looking up to Arthur Andersen which has had a lock on the number one position, PricewaterhouseCoopers can now gaze down from the top berth as well, having tied AA for the top spot.The survey of college professors is based on their experience and perception.

CPAs are going to continue going after CPE, but what about other types of training for themselves and their staffs?One of the newest trends taking place in the business marketplace is to find alternative continuing education opportunities ... getting away from the technical stuff and going after subjects that just feel good!Consider Yoga or exercise classes, for example, to boost employee morale. Community colleges are a prime source for solid continuing education in all interest areas. How about Spanish or other foreign language lessons?Get creative.

AccountingWEB has run several stories over the past few months on compensation methods, ways to hire and retain employees, and other facets of the HR process. Now, a story from USA Today goes into the psychological aspects of some new recruits being paid more than seasoned professionals.Known as 'Pay Envy,' workers in companies throughout N.

When everyone in a company is running around trying their best to accomplish what’s expected of their individual job at that moment it’s easy for management to forget how important it is for staff to feel valued in what they do. If you didn’t understand exactly why it’s important for you to do what you do, would you care?Employees often shy away from responsibility, be it adding on additional facets to their job or fessing up to mistakes if they feel that what they do doesn’t really matter anyway. How to you help them understand this?

Beta Alpha Psi's annual meeting featured opportunities for performing community service, attending meetings, getting to know students and faculty from other schools, visiting with exhibitors, and a chance to win $200 from AccountingWEB!The BAP meeting was attended by nearly 1,000 students, many of whom converged on Washington, D.C. on Thursday, August 10, for a day of community service.

With low unemployment, finding new hires for financial and technical positions has become an unusually difficult task. How do you determine the best use of time and resources?Newspaper or other media advertising is the traditional route for finding new employees. A downside of this method is that it can result in too many unacceptable applicants ... many of whom are over- or under-qualified.Online resources and job-posting boards are gaining in popularity, particularly for those trying to fill high-tech jobs.

AccountingWEB has reported several stories over the past several weeks on the strong economy and low unemployment, but how true does this familiar tune ring for the disabled?Not very loudly, according to sources. Disabled persons are referred to as the 'invisible' work force. In an age in which most everyone has a job (unemployment is at four percent), many disabled workers have an extremely difficult time securing employment. Figures are reportedly as high as 75 percent.Now in its 10th year, the Americans With Disabilities Act seemingly has little affect.

A recent story on AccountingWeb chronicled the rocky times at Microstrategy.As an aside, The Motley Fool is at it again. The online pundit of finance and business-related issues has observed the latest goings-on at Microstrategy, and developed a list of the top five new duties of the recently appointed CFO. They are (drum roll, please): 5.

How does an accounting firm keep up with the times? Descriptions of the accounting industry often produce terms like down to earth, levelheaded, studious, etc. Face it, "fun" isn’t exactly the first term that comes to mind. However, in today’s job market, fun is a valuable feature to offer.

In today’s society the divorce rate is fifty percent. With that in mind, what’s the difference between meshing personalities in a marriage and personalities in a company merger?Mergers and acquisitions seem like a great idea when you’re thinking of cutting overhead, reducing staff, adding to the expertise your company can offer, or trying to figure out exactly what to do with your company when you decide to go.

A July 27 Wall Street Journal article, 'Phased Retirement Option for Workers Is Mainly a Boon for Their Employers,' generated a Web-based response from worldwide HR consultant Watson Wyatt.The Journal commented that Watson Wyatt recommended phased-in retirement as a way for companies to reduce expenses.However, Watson sees it differently.

This article reprinted with permission by the Financial Management Network.E-mail is by far the preferred means of communication for millions of professionals worldwide. For busy executives, it can save valuable time, particularly when seeking a new position.

Are your employees feeling overwhelmed, irritable or just plain drained? Maybe it’s happening to you. Rest assured that you can solve the problem, it just takes a few corrections in the way work is approached.Make sure your company stresses the importance of balance. Even your best employees can be prone to burnout. People don’t function well if they are functioning constantly without an occasional break.Help employees understand the inner workings of the company.